Electrical connection means



will appear hereinafter.

Pnt-med on. 27,1942

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS Fay Beal, Bronson, Mich., assignorl to H. A.

Douglas Mfg. Co., Bronson,

tion of Michigan Mich., a corpora- Appllcation March' 17, 1939, SerialNo. 262,472

`This invention relates generally to electrical connection means, knownin the trade as-line connectors, and particularly toconnectors which arepreferably adapted to beplaced in an electrical circuit of avehicle suchas an automobile, and receive plug conductor terminals of the snap type,

The principal-object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedconnector, and more particularly a connector preferably consistingsolely of two members, an outer tubular sleeve of resilient insulatingmaterial, and an inner nietallic insert or circuit continuing memberwhich is adapted to receive plug conductor terminals.

Another object is Ato provide improvedelectrical connection means,including, a tube of resilient insulating material, ametal insertarranged within the tube for retaining conductor terminals, and means onthe insert for pressing a. portion of the tube outwardly to provide aseat for the said means whereby to lock the insert in position. Y

One particular object is `to provide a'- device which can beeconomically manufactured on a commercial scale.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 3 In the drawingaccompanying this specic'ation, and forming a part of this application,there is .shown for the purposes of illustration the preferred form ofthe invention, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the voutertubular sleeve of insulating material;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional l view showing the sleeveand circuit continuing member in assembled relation; Figure 3 is a viewon a reduced scale showing the development ofthe insert shown in Figure4; and

.some suitable insulating material, preferably of a-resillent character,and 2 represents the insert or metallic circuit V4continuing member,which is also preferably tubular in form.

With respect tothe insert, same is preferably generally cylindrical inform, and provided with resilient portions forming receptacles 3 and "55form and provided with a longitudinal cylindri- 4 Claims. (Cl. 173-328)f 4 `adjacent its extremities whereby to detachably receive andresiliently retain plug conductor terminals of the snap type, such as 5,one of which is shown in Figure 2, as being secured within thereceptacle 3.

Considering more in detail the construction of the insert 2, andreferring particularly to the development shown in `Figure 3, the insertis preferably made rectangular in shape, and comprises a central bodyportion I, having at one extremity, a pair of correspondingsubstantially'rectangular oppositely disposed laterally projecting wingportions 1 and y8, and a pair of wing portions 9 and IU correspondingsubstantially to the wing portions 1 and 8, adjacent its otherextremity. The

respective pairs of portions by reason of the cutouts or notches I i andI! provide the receptacles 3. and I, which are independently operable'of each other. However, if desired, the wall structure of the insert maybe made substantially continuous and not open adjacent its centralportion.

m order to assist in holding terminals to the l insert, a detent I3 isprovided in each of the receptacles 3 and l, preferably centrally withre- .spect to each pair of wing portions.

Each detent is preferably formed by striking out a por- .tion of thematerial of the insert to provide an aperture, such as Il, and onemarginalI edge of the aperture is preferably struck outwardly withrespect to the remaining material, whereby to provide a convex taperedprojection or lip, the arris I5 of which is adapted to bite and engagethe wall defining the groove o r cove 2i, provided in a terminal such asi. Detents of a character other than those Just described may beprovided and otherwise located. and if found desirable may be entirelyeliminated, but in any event it is de sirable that the'resillent wingportions forming the receptacles 3 and 4 function to eectively grip andretain terminals. Said receptacles are preferably made of a sumcientlength to engage considerable surface area of the terminals in order todecrease as much as possible the millivolt dropbetween the insert andthe terminals.

Intermediate the extremities of the insert, and preferably adiacent thenotch I2, there is provided a curved transverse resilient projection orlug I6, and adjacent the center of the base' portion l, there ispreferably formed a boss. such as i1, which extends outwardly withrespect to said' Referring to the outer tubular sleeve or tube member,same is preferably made cylindrical in a diameter slightly less than theoutside diameter ol.'V the insert 2. In view of the diameters. the

tube resilientlyA resists expansion of the insert,l

To assemble the sleeve and insert, the insert member is forced,preferably by a suitable tool,

into either end of the "aperture IB of the sleeve to the position shownin Figure 2, whereupon the projection I6 of the insert is struckoutw-ardly into the wall of the sleeve to deform same and provide anoffset seat for the projection whereby tolock the members together; theboss l1 opposite the projection also assists in this respect byprojecting into an extruded seat 2|.

It is to be particularly noted that when terminals are properly securedwithin the connector, the extremities of the sleeve member projectbeyoud the terminals a suihcient distance whereby to prevent theterminals from coming into contact with some metallic object and therebyavoid a short circuit. The sleeve is such that same contracts upon theinsert,and particularly upon the rear cylindrical portion o r skirt I9of each terminal so as to provide, among other things, a seal, wherebyto exclude the entrance of foreignA matter, andalso avoid corrosion withrespect to the electrical connections established between the terminalsand the insert.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvi.- ous that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of the invention; and, therefore, I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction,arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. Electrical connection means, including a substantially cylindricaltube of resilient material, a metal insert having an outside diametercal aperture I I, which aperture is preferably of greater than theinside diameter of saidy tube arranged within the coniines of said tube,a receptacle retaining a conductor terminal provided adjacent eachextremity of said insert, each of saidterminals being provided with around portion extending free of each receptacle. said tube acting uponsaid insert and `the round portions of said terminals to seal from theatmosphere the space between said round portions, a resilient seatprovided on said tube and extending outwardly with respect to said tube,means between said receptacles projecting laterally from said insert,said seat pressing against said means for locking said tube and insertin assembly, and a recess provided in said insert substantially oppositesaid means receiving a portion of said tube whereby to further assist inlocking the parts in assembly.

2. Electrical connection means, including a' tube member of insulatingmaterial, a metal insert arranged within the confines of said tube, saidinsert having a receptacle adjacent each extremity for receiving aconductor terminal, a resilient seat provided on said tube, meansprojecting laterally of said insert and with respect to saidreceptacles, said seat pressing against said projecting means forlocking the tube and insert in assembly, and a recess provided in saidinsert substantially opposite said means receiving a portion of saidtube whereby to further assist in locking the parts in assembly.

3. Electrical connection means of the character defined in claim 2,including an additional projection on said insert, and a secondresilient seat on said tube pressing against said additional projectionwhereby to further lock the tube and insert in assembly.

4. The method of securing metallic conducting means within a resilienttube of insulation, which consists in providing the conducting meanswith a recess in which a portion of material of which the tube iscomprised may recede, and providing the conducting means with bendablemeans more or less opposite said recess so that when said conductingmeans is inserted into said resilient tube and the said projecting meansis pressed out-v i FAY BEAL.

